Arrest that led to jail handcuffing incident…
The city police arrest of Benjamin Burgess on May 27 turned out to be anything but routine, and in another twist in the case, —.
Questions arose that night about Burgess’ medical condition upon his arrival at the Washington County jail, touching off a series of events and led to a federal suit against the City of Washington and its police department over the handcuffing of a female jail captain who wanted Burgess to be seen by a doctor at Washington Hospital before the jail would accept him as a prisoner.
Burgess underwent brain surgery for an aneurysm earlier that month, according to court records, and he had staples in his head.
Ronald Markle of Washington, a licensed practical nurse working the night shift at the jail, supported Capt. Wendy Harris’ decision, but Moore is seen on surveillance video obtained by the Observer-Reporter disagreeing with her and shackling her wrists.
Harris phoned jail Warden Edward Strawn in the midst of the dispute, and when Strawn arrived, Markle said the warden ordered him to medically clear Burgess for admission.
Markle would not, and he said Strawn fired him. The LPN said he expects the county to maintain he quit over the difference of opinions.
Strawn eventually had Burgess cleared by emergency medical technicians, and the case proceeded to the preliminary hearing stage in July.
Burgess appeared at District Judge Robert Redlinger’s on the DUI charge and requested a continuance to hire an attorney to represent him at a hearing.
District Judge Mark Wilson, presiding in Redlinger’s courtroom that day, granted the defendant’s request.
A marijuana and paraphernalia possession case from November, also filed by Moore, came before Redlinger on July 18 for a preliminary hearing.
Redlinger dismissed the charge. Redlinger said a city police officer – not Moore – appeared, “but he didn’t say a word.
“I asked for the charges to be dropped and they were dropped,” Burgess said July 27 at the magistrate’s office.
Burgess also has/had a pending DUI case in Beaver County Court, filed by state police in connection with a Jan. 28 incident.